Politics & Government

Rec Committee Votes to Approve Ice Rink at Stotzky Park

The second proposed ice rink in town would be installed inside the roller hockey rink to be used only when the weather was cold enough to make the ice.

The Riverhead Recreation Advisory Committee at their meeting Monday evening unanimously authorized spending about $5,000 from its developers fund to construct a winter ice rink for

The rink would be set up using lining and piping from a company specializing in portable outdoor rinks, Town Councilman George Gabrielsen said, and would rest inside the roller hockey rink at the park. The town would create the ice by pouring water into the lining and letting it freeze, so that ice hockey and other sports teams could play games at the rink.

"This will be big enough, it'll be real ice for the guys to play games on," Gabrielsen said. He added that there would be little maintenance on the rink, since there'd be no need for compressors or Zambonis to keep the ice cool.

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The proposed Stotzky park rink would be an alternative to the other proposed rink in town, That rink would be paid for using a $99,000 county grant and money from the Riverhead Business Improvement District. Final approval of the grant money is expected to come on Thursday.

The Stotzky rink would be built using funds from the committee's development fund, a collection of developers' fees to be used only for recreational capital projects.

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The hockey rink would offer an opportunity for Riverhead's sports leagues that the downtown rink couldn't, said committee member Marge Acevedo.

"It keeps the ice hockey kids happy and from going to the other facility, which would be more geared for families," she said at the meeting.

Gabrielsen told the board he will speak with the ice rink company to get an exact estimate and discuss logistical issues before bringing it before the town board for final approval. He said he hopes to have the outdoor rink ready by December.


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